First Snow
by StormesJay
Summary: The fluffy white petals that flutter downward become our shining tiara. I have one wish- that my feelings for you would never change, and be able to stay like this, with you. Seto/Ryou, references to Duke/Marik Rate and Review, please!
1. Chapter 1

_**First Snow**_

_Stormes_Jay_

_(Just for reference, people, the characters in my version of Yugioh have been somewhat altered to make them more realistic, and there is no Domino City, their just in Tokyo and neighboring cities._

_They speak Japanese, but if their is a '*' next to it, they are speaking another language, with is usually either English, Russian, German, or Italian, and such will be stated in foot notes.)_

They had met before— They had met so many times before, but they had never spoken an actual word to each other. Kaiba seemed so cold to Bakura, and Bakura seemed so shy to Kaiba. So many things just waiting to be said, but kept in silence because of their opposing sides. They had one thing in common, right at the beginning; They both sat alone during lunch at school— for different reasons, of course, but it was still something. But as time went on, Kaiba excelled in his studies and graduated early, and Bakura got to know Yugi Motou. Once again, the connection was pulled apart by circumstance. But now there was nothing. No Duel Monsters, no millennium items, no evil spirits; nothing. Now it was just the differences in their work that kept them apart, and that was about to change.

\/\/\/\/

Kaiba enjoyed his coffee, but only trusted it to one place. It was a quaint little café just of of 3rd and 4th. It was so small compared to the giant Starbucks Cafés on the other side of the street, but to Kaiba, it felt almost like home. The wicker chairs were one of his favorite aspects. The crackle in the chair reminded him of his home in Russia; His mother's chair on the front porch made the same noise. He liked how there were no chairs on the sidewalk, no possibility of being forced to sit in the noisy outdoors.

He focused on the screen of his laptop as his fingers tapped on the several different keys. He had ordered the coffee of the day, which happened to be his favorite, Irish roast. He had finished his cup, and left it sitting on the edge of the table waiting to be refilled. He continued to type as the waiter approached, "Would you like more coffee, sir?" Kaiba just barely recognized the voice and lifted his head, his reading glasses on the tip of his nose. He saw warm, chocolate brown eyes looking back at him, fair skin, and light brown hair tied back in a ponytail. The two took a moment before a soft smile crossed the waiters face, "Seto Kaiba?"

"Hello. I remember you... You had the millennium ring, right?" Kaiba tilted his head a bit, "You're Bakura."

Bakura gave a sweet smile and nod before a quick pause, "Well, would you like more coffee?" He held the pot up. Kaiba nodded a bit before Bakura filled the cup, "I didn't know you were much into going to cafés."

"I didn't know you were much into working at one." Kaiba pointed to Bakura's light green apron, "I haven't seen you here before."

"I got a job here after the whole Egypt thing." Bakura shrugged. In the corner of his eye he saw a customer flag him down, "Oh, sorry. Customers are waiting." He turned away from Kaiba.

Kaiba leaned over to try and get a better look at Bakura's face as he turned away, "When do you get off work?"

Bakura paused and turned, "What? -Oh! Umm, in fifteen minutes I believe." He gave a fluttery blink.

"I'll go ahead and wait here until you get off work then." Kaiba smirked a bit at him. Bakura gave a clueless stare before a quick nod. He turned away and headed for the other table. Kaiba knew why he was so interested in Bakura, he was the only one who made an effort to actually care about more than just Duel Monsters— it wasn't his life. And yes, Kaiba did play the game quite often, but his love rested in video simulations, not cards.

\/\/\/\/

It was freezing, fall was just about coming to an end in Tokyo. Bakura had slipped a thick, fluffy jacket on over his apron, and walked closely next to Kaiba, who wore a long, wool trench coat and thick scarf, "Do you talk to them much?" Bakura asked as they walked down the sidewalk, "To Yugi and the others?"

Kaiba looked at Bakura silently, then forward again, "No. I stopped talking to anyone from that group except for Duke since we returned the items."

"Why Duke?" Bakura looked up at him, there was a staggering height difference of ten inches between the two.

"He's one of my designers, now. I was quite pleasantly surprised with his game, Dungeon Monsters." He shrugged, "So I offered him a job. ... Do you talk to them?"

"Oh, no. I think most of us went our separate ways after all that. I sometimes go to tea with Anzu, but those are become more and more rare than before." Bakura's head sunk down, "I'm actually thinking of moving to an apartment just outside of this block with the money I've got saved up. Maybe just start over or something."

Kaiba raised his head and looked at the small clearing in the clouds, "I don't know how you have money to eat, let alone rent an apartment with that job at the café."

"Oh, well, it's enough to keep me afloat. That all I really need." Bakura lifted his head and smiled, "Not really a fan of fancy things, this one."

Kaiba smiled a bit at him as they turned to head over a bridge, "Neither am I. I just want to make sure Mokuba gets the best chance of a good life."

"How old is he now? It's been at least a year since I've seen him." Bakura smiled warmly.

"He's fifteen, and changed quite a lot, too. He's dyed his hair all sorts of colors and has a mohawk." Kaiba chuckled a bit. Bakura smiled, he liked how his face looks when he was smiling, "He's even started a band with Weevil and Rex."

"Those thugs? Aren't you worried?" Bakura raised an eyebrow curiously.

Kaiba shook his head, "No. They're better than you think. With the right motivation, that is." He stopped by the end of the brick bridge, Bakura halting with him. He took hold of the rail and looked out at the water.

Bakura paused and looked at his face, "What is it?" He leaned over to look at his face, propping himself against the barrier of the bridge.

Kaiba smiled at him, "Go to dinner with me tonight." He turned towards him.

A rosey blush filled Bakura's cheeks, "Wh-What? Dinner? Tonight?"

"I know a great place to have a steak with some wine. It'll be great." Kaiba looked incredibly calm compared to the frozen man he stood next to.

Bakura blinked and looked around,, "Oh, but I have nothing to wear. And I've never been on a date with a..."

"Man? It's alright. Neither have I. You'll come to dinner with me. Don't worry about clothes, just wear a sweater or something." Kaiba tilted his head, "Do we have a plan?"

Bakura closed his eyes and smiled, exhaling through his nose. He opened his long lashed eyes and nodded, "Alright. I live just over here." he pointed to an apartment complex across the street, "Number seventy-two. When will you-"

Kaiba smirked pleasantly, "Seven-thirty. I'll see you then, yes?"

"Yes." Bakura smiled back.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Bakura couldn't stop fidgeting as he sat on his couch waiting for the doorbell to ring. The thoughts racing through his mind were hardly g-rated. Images of the two after dinner, sweaty and panting while kissing against the wall of his apartment. Thoughts of Kaiba breathing down his neck and ripping his sweater off. He shook his head and ruffled his hair nervously before pulling it all back tightly. /_I can't believe I'm doing this.._/ He lifted his head, biting his lip. The door bell rung, and in an instant, Bakura had raced from his couch, hit his leg on the coffee table, cursed twice, and gotten to the door. He opened it, looking down before pulling his hair up frantically, "You're here." he smiled.

Kaiba blinked with a small smirk on his face, "Ready, I assume?"

"Oh, yes, of course." Bakura quickly turned and grabbed his coat, beanie, and scarf before closing the door behind him.

Once they walked in Bakura was met with the pleasant scent of fresh steak. Kaiba pulled off his own coat, then helped Bakura with his. Bakura blushed again, this was all new for him, "Oh, thank you." He turned and smiled at Kaiba sweetly.

A tall waiter approached the two, "Table for two, sir." He guided them to their table.

Kaiba, before sitting looked to the waiter, "Just water, please."

Bakura looked to the waiter, "I'll have a virgin dachary, please." The waiter nodded and walked away. Kaiba walked over to Bakura's chair and pulled the seat out for him. Again he blushed as he sat down.

"Thank you." he smiled again as Kaiba took his own seat, "How many times have you been here?"

"I come here all the time for business dinners. It's always nice and comfortable." Kaiba straightened himself as the waiter returned and served the water and dachary, "Thank you." The waiter nodded and left again. There was a long pause before he spoke again, "So... This is a date, right?"

Bakura took a sip of his dachary, "I... think so. Why?"

"I've actually never been on one." Kaiba shrugged.

"You?" Bakura's eye grew wide, "Mr. Billionaire?"

"As much as it might surprise you, I'm not the most social butterfly. In fact, I don't really do anything other than work and be with Mokuba." Kaiba laced his fingers and rest his chin on them, "How many dates have you been on?"

Bakura was silent as he took a sip of his dachary, looking worryingly up to the ceiling, "Um... None, unless you count going to the school dance with a junior..." He blushed.

"So I guess this is new for both of us." Kaiba smiled, "If you don't mind me asking, why Japan?"

"What?" Bakura looked at him.

"Why transfer to Japan?" Kaiba blinked, "Why not somewhere else?"

"To tell you the truth," Bakura set his glass on the table, "After my father went to Cyro, I went back to where I was born. My mother was Japanese, and we all used to live here in Tokyo. Besides, I love it here so much, I could never leave again. What about you? You don't look one bit Japanese."

"I'm not. My father was Russian, and my mother was German. I moved here because my adoptive father lived here. After he died, I didn't really want to leave. I still take trips back to Russia though. I grew up there, and I can't leave it behind." Kaiba seemed to stare into space with a smile on his face.

"You speak Russian, then?" Bakura asked.

Kaiba gave a smirked and nodded, "*It's my native tongue." Bakura grinned, "So what do yo speak normally?"

Bakura took a sip of his dachary, "*I speak English, normally."

Kaiba smiled, "*I can speak English, too." His accent was the most unique one Bakura had ever heard. It was very soft, mostly Russian, only with hints of Japanese. It was pleasant to hear, for the most part.

"You can? How many languages do you know?" Bakura leaned in with interest.

"A lot. I'm the president and CEO of a multi-billion dollar company, remember?" Kaiba looked over at the waiter, "Ready to order?" Bakura smiled and nodded happily. As they had their dinner, Bakura couldn't help but feel awkward. Kaiba was so rich that he could afford to eat here for ever meal, but he was so poor he could barely afford to get McDonald's more than twice a week.

The brisk air chilled Bakura's cheeks as they left the warmth of the restaurant to walk back to his apartment. It was oddly silent, as if they just ran out of things to say. They began to pass over the bridge once again. Bakura stopped and looked down, "Do you really think this is going to work out?"

Kaiba stopped and looked back, "What?"

"If we do start this up... Do you really think it will last?" he tightened his fists, "Because I don't know if it will..."

Kaiba gave a serious stare as he walked back to Bakura, "Why would you say that?"

Bakura lifted his head, "Honestly! Do you really think that we can just go to dinner and then be happily ever after? Is that really it?"

"Well, no, but--"

"I don't even know what I'm doing out here! I should be at home, eating a box of take out above my sink, or feeding my cat! Hell, I don't even know if I'm gay!" he turned away from Kaiba, "But I'm... I'm out here being a fool with a billionaire who could... who could do much better."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow and paused for a split second before taking hold of Bakura's shoulder's and turning him around. The two stared at each other, Kaiba giving Bakura a completely straight stare, and Bakura looking shocked back. Kaiba pull him close and pressed his lips against his. Bakura's eye grew wide with surprise and his tensed up. It was, in fact, a rather clumsy kiss on Bakura's part. He flailed what part of his arms were loose and knocked his knees together before falling slightly limp and letting his arms hang. Kaiba's kiss, it was just so warm and steady. He pulled his lips away and looked at Bakura again, "Are you sure yet? Because you seemed to like that."

Bakura stared dreamily into Kaiba's eyes before wrapping his arms around Kaiba's neck and kissing him back. The water behind them shimmered with the light of the moon, and from the sky began to fall small flakes of snow. Bakura pulled back and looked up, "It's snowing." He looked back at Kaiba, "It's the first snow of winter." He blushed.

Kaiba finally gave him a full smile, showing his beautifully white teeth, "Looks like it's winter, then." He leaned in once more, his lips meeting Bakura's in another passionate kiss.

* * *

foot notes.

*Kaiba speaks Russian

*Bakura speaks English

*Kaiba speaks English


	3. Chapter 3

Before the chapter commences, I would just like to thank all of you for your great reviews. All three of them. XD Anyhow, the review that I _do_ have are excellent, so I hope you enjoy this chapter.

/\\//\\/

Chapter Three

It was so passionate. Kaiba practically tore Bakura's jacket off as they opened the door to his apartment. Bakura clumsily pulled his shoes off and fell back on the couch. Kaiba smiled and took his shoes off as well before climbing on the couch with him. The two kissed again as Kaiba unzipped Bakura's pants. Bakura took his own shirt off as Kaiba took his pants and socks off for him. He began undressing himself, dropping his trench coat on the floor, followed by his socks, pants, and dress shirt. They kissed again, now only dressed in their underwear. Bakura bit his lip and smirked as Kaiba sat up, slowly pulling down his own under--

"~Sabishii omoi sure chigai sore wa musubi au tochu no eki, Anata totemo itoshi kute, Motto motto aitakute, Isshou tonari ni itatte tabun jikan gatari nai~!" BoA's voice shook Bakura from his slumber. He sat up in his bed, the covers dropping around his hips. He paused and looked around; There was no sign of Kaiba, but his alarm clock read that he was almost late for work.

He raced down the bike lane of the street on his blue cruiser, his apron flowing in the wind with his speed. Two weeks since they started dating and he was still having those dreams. Maybe work could get it off his mind. He was hoping this job could help him get enough money to start going to college, and if he got fired, it would be the end of him. He opened the door to the café, still panting from riding all the way over from his house, "Sorry I'm late, Mr. Keboshii!" he raced by the counter and past the old man behind the cash register to get into the kitchen and start working.

"Yeah, yeah, just don't do it again." the old man said, preoccupied by a glass he was cleaning.

/\\/

He poured more coffee for the couple in booth three just as his break started, "Thank you." the happy woman smiled at him. He nodded back and turned away.

He walked up the stairs to the staff lounge and opened the door. He dropped his apron on the desk and fell on the couch, "*Ohhhh... What am I doing to myself...?" he sighed as he raised his head. He rolled onto his back and pulled his hair out of his face, tucking it behind his ears. He grabbed a dart off of the end table and launched it into the dart board on the ceiling.

The door opened, and a young, asian, woman walked in. Her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail with bobby pins holding her bangs and loose hair back. She sat down by Bakura, "Ryou, is something wrong?"

"Oh, Kari, I didn't know you were on break yet..." He sat up, "No. I'm just a bit off today, I guess..."

"Off.... how?" Kari tilted her head.

"Nothing serious. I started going out a few weeks ago and it's thrown me off." He rubbed his head, "I don't know how to explain it."

Kari sat back against the back of the couch, "Who'd you go out with?" she smiled.

"Umm... Just some guy. An old friend I used to play DM with." he shrugged.

Kari's smile grew bigger, "A boy? I knew you'd come to terms with it soon! See? Now you've gotten used to the fact that you're gay!"

Bakura shook his head, "What does that have to do with anything?!"

"Well, it can change a whole lot in your life if you're gay. A _whole lot_. So what's been going on in the sheets then?"

"Ugh... nothing. Nothing at all. I'm not interested in one night stands." Bakura dropped his head forward, ".... But he is really cute."

Kari stood up, "Ooh! Cute? You should call me sometime, we should double." She giggled, "I'm so glad you finally found someone!" she clasped her hands together and spun happily.

Bakura smiled a bit, "Kari, I don't even know if he'll last that long. I mean, it was just one date. Besides--"

Mr. Keboshii opened the door to the lounge, "Ryou, you got a visitor. Says his name's Seto." He closed the door.

Bakura blushed and stood up, "Oh!" he ran to the door, slipping on the rug and hitting his knee on the desk, "Ah! Ow ow ow!" he cradled it tightly.

"Okay, only someone seriously falling for someone else does that." Kari giggled and opened the door for him, "Don't hurt your self going down the stairs, now."

Bakura slowly lowered his leg and blushed, "Oh, you be quiet..." He walked out the door, "Thank you." He smiled at her and waved as he headed down the stairs. He peered around the corner to see where he was. Kaiba stood by the window, wearing a white dress shirt and a pair of jeans with a rip in the knee. His coat rested on the chair next to him. Bakura turned and put his back to the wall, "Ughh..." He looked up as Kari gave him a 'shoo' signal. He rolled his eyes playfully and walked out.

Kaiba saw him and smiled a bit, "I just wanted to stop by on my way to my office."

Bakura smiled back and nodded, "Okay."

Kaiba held up a small card, "Here." Bakura took it and opened it, "It's an invitation to the annual Uni-Tech banquet. It said I needed to bring a guest, so I'm asking you."

Bakura looked up, "When is it?" He tilted his head, "I-.. I definitely don't have anything to wear to this..."

Kaiba shook his head, "Don't worry, it's tomorrow night, and I'll get you something to wear."

Bakura hung his head and dropped his arms, "Do you do this sort of thing all the time?"

"... Pretty much. I'll take you to the tailor after work."

"... I am _so_ not used to dating a multi-billionaire..." he shook his head.

Kaiba laughed a bit, "Don't worry, it's no trouble. I'd do it for you even if we weren't dating." He pulled Bakura's hair back over his ear, "I'll call you tonight, okay?" Bakura nodded and handed him back the invitation. Kaiba kissed his forehead and smiled, "See you later, then." He grabbed his coat and left. Bakura blushed and turned around. Half the customers were now staring at him, and half of those people were baffled, rather than amused.

He sunk into a corner and looked away, "Oh, god..."

* * *

"These clothes... are you sure you didn't go out of your way?" Bakura looked up from his rather fancy suit, "I don't you spending too much money on me."

Kaiba looked back to him from the window of the limo, "It's alright. I have so much money that I don't know what to do with it all. Besides, they look great on you." He probably did mean tosound as confident as he did just then.

"I don't like being spoiled, I guess." Bakura looked down.

Kaiba furrowed a brow, "Well you aren't. Trust me, you'll know when I'm spoiling you, because you'll have four houses to prove it." He crossed his legs, "They didn't cost that much."

"They cost over two-hundred-thousand yen!" Bakura flustered, "I didn't need Georgio Armani, you know."

Kaiba shook his head with a giggle, "What? You want me to treat you badly?" The car stopped, "We're here." He opened the door for himself and began to get out.

Bakura grabbed his arm, "Wait a second... I don't need to be a computer genius to talk to anyone, right?"

Kaiba bent down and smirked, "Are you kidding? It's fine, really. Talking about nothing but computers and programming? What fun is that? Now, come on. I have some friends waiting inside to see you."

Bakura paused and blinked, letting his arm go, "... Friends?"

\\/\\/

"Ryou!" Duke gave a happy grin as he walked over, "You know, Seto's been talking about you all the time lately."

Marik walked over beside Duke and wrapped his arm around his, "Duke said you'd be here, but I wasn't sure. I mean, falling into all this so soon, it much be murder." He smirked and kissed Duke's cheek, "It's been ages since I've seen you, though. I heard you were working for Anzu."

Bakura gave a nervous chuckle, "Oh, is that so? Well, no. Just at a café, really." He ruffled his hair a bit; It was a nervous habit he had. Kaiba walked back from the coat rack and wrapped his arm around Bakura's waist, "Duke, Marik, how are you two? Moving in together still?" Bakura looked up to Kaiba, this was a totally different side to him. He seemed so kind, not at all the cold, mean, frigid man he remembered. Maybe it was because Yugi wasn't around, or because things were finally looking up for him. Whatever it was, it was working, and Bakura liked him better this way.

Marik smiled warmly, "No, we finished all that up, but I still have to teach this poor bastard how to clean up properly." he laughed.

Duke elbowed him softly, "Hey, you don't even know how to organize a bookshelf right." He shook his head.

"Give me a break? I can't read that much kanji yet."

Bakura smiled at both of them, his cheeks turning a light rose color, "Goodness, it sounds like a lot has changed. I didn't even know you two were together."

Kaiba looked to the side, seeing a man calling him, "I'll be right back." He kissed Bakura's cheek, "Have some of the champagne. It's great." he walked away. Bakura smiled back at him as he left.

"So how is it working out with him, then?" Marik leaned in, "I hear Seto can be a little tricky to deal with."

Bakura shrugged, "I haven't really run into any problems yet. What's so tricky?"

Duke shrugged, "Not much. He just likes to work. A lot. Sometimes he's up in that office until four in the morning. His couch is even a fold out bed." Duke looked over to Kaiba, "But now that he's met you, he's stared to work less. Not that it's bad- It's great. I've just never seen him so... different."

Marik waved his hand, "Anyway, you have to come over to our condo sometime! We just finished painting it and having full length windows installed. You can see the ocean, it's amazing!"

Bakura smiled a bit, beginning to lose focus of the conversation and looking at Kaiba, /_So that's why you're so different? Me?_/

Kaiba slowly walked back, "Sorry it took so long. A client of mine wanted to ask for more merchandise." he looked up. His eyes widened as he saw who was approaching, "Pegasus?"

"Kaiba boy. It's been ages." He smirked confidently, his smooth voice ringing out clearly, "And who is this you brought with you?" Bakura tensed up defensively, edging into Kaiba's side, "Is he scared of me?" he laughed as he looked back at Kaiba.

"I wouldn't be surprised, after all you put us through. What do you want?" He glared. Marik and Duke both watched helplessly as the argument began to start.

"How rude. Did your father, Gozuboro, teach you your manners?" He shook his head, "I knew that man closely, he was such a good inventor."

"... He wasn't my father." Bakura could feel him tense up. Every muscle seemed to become like rock at the mention of that man, "Just leave us alone." He saw Pegasus's head guard walk over to his side.

The guard smiled, "Kaiba, did you know it's said that at least twenty-five percent of male Russians inherit their certain type of psychosis from their mothers, but I guess I'm leaving out that fact that your a halfie. Your mom was German, right?" Kaiba's hand clenched into a fist.

Duke frowned, "Hey! Stop it. There's nothing wrong with any of that!" Even Pegasus looked surprised at the guards malicious behavior.

"Face it, this jerk's a clicking time bomb with his genes. His father even---" Kaiba's fist met the guards nose. The guard fell back, blood spurting from his now pummeled nostrils.

Bakura covered his mouth, "Seto?" He was silent. It seemed that the only thing that Bakura could see was rage and anger, "Seto..."

Duke called over some security to have the guard escorted out of the building. Pegasus looked back at Kaiba, "I think the night is over for you, Kaiba-boy. Not many people around here aprove of such behavior. Other than me of course, but you get the idea."

"... Of course. I get it. Don't worry, I'm gone." Kaiba said stiffly, then looked at Marik and Duke, "Have fun tonight." He then changed his glance to Bakura, "I'm sorry I had to cut the night short..." He said, oddly shaky in his tone, then quickly turned and headed out the front door, grabbing his coat and scarf. Bakura watched him, surprised at everything that had happened.

/\\//\\/

It was a silent car ride. Kaiba spent the entire time looking out the window as if he was trying to hold both anger and the horrible need to cry back as hard as he could. Kaiba opened the door for Bakura once they got to his house. Bakura slowly got out and looked to Kaiba, "Seto... What happened?"

Kaiba's face became agitated again, "It's none of your concern."

"Seto, I only want to know what could make even you act like this. I've never seen that before."

"It's not your place!" Kaiba shouted.

Bakura stopped, his face becoming oddly serious, "... Well, then what is my place?"

Kaiba gritted his teeth, "For now, far away from this. I don't know if you guessed already, but I don't exactly **like** talking about my goddamn parents."

Bakura's face softened a bit, "Really... So much that you can snap back to the same cold man you were before."

"You have no **right** to try and fix me, Ryou. Nobody has that right. I don't need to be fixed."

Bakura gulped, "Right. And so I'm just supposed to stand here and watch you suffer."

"You have no idea how long I've dealt with this. I don't need you, or anyone, to try and dig into me." Kaiba hissed and turned his back to Bakura.

"Fine. Have it your way. All I've ever wanted to do it help you, and you just shove your anger in my face to cover your ass! You can push everyone away if you want to, but one day, you'll break down, and **no one** will be there to help you. I hope that's what you're prepared for." He turned away from Kaiba and started for his apartment. He didn't looked over his shoulder. If he did, he would have seen the shocked look on Kaiba's face. He might as well have slapped him with how much those words stung.

But over time, Kaiba slowly lost all expression in his face and closed his eyes, his head lowering to hang, "... Damn it all..." he uttered under his breath as he sat down in his car seat. He slammed the door as hard as he could, but it didn't stop what was coming. He raised up the black separation of if limo, hiding himself from his driver just before the tears began to fall.

Bakura's hands were shaking as he tried to unlock the door. Was it over? Were the last couple of weeks falling into shambles? He didn't want it to go. He loved him too much to let him go like this. He opened the door and closed it hastily behind him. He stopped and leaned back against the wood. The tears began to flow as he slowly slipped down the wall, clasping his hands over his mouth as his sobbed.


	4. Chapter 4

line here

Okay, before you all freak out, here's an explanation:

Ryou is not an actual name in Japanese, but Ryo is. Ryo means Excellence, and it is also what Dee called his friend Randy in 'FAKE'. You might not have read it (YOU SO SHOULD), but it's one of my main inspirations when writing this fic. Besides, if Ryou is half British, half Japanese it makes sense for him to have an English name like that. And in actuality his last name is British as well, seeing as his father is. So his real name is Randy Berkeley.

/\\//\\/

Chapter 4

The next day was Bakura's day off. He had pent most of it curled up on the couch with a blanket and a box of sweet cakes. He hadn't meant to talk to Kaiba like that. He was sure that there was a good reason for the way he had been acting. He just wanted to know what. He fell back against the back of the couch and pulled his legs to his chest. He looked down at the cup of coffee he had made just as the phone rang. He slowly got up and walked over to the wall phone. He plucked it up and put it against his ear, "Hello?"

"*Randy!" His father's voice said over a bad connection.

Bakura put on finger over his uncovered ear, "*Dad? Where are you, I can barely hear you!"

"*I'm in Cairo. The expedition is going splendidly! How are you over there? I haven't been able to call you for weeks!"

"*Oh, I'm fine." Bakura looked to the side, "Just fine."

"*Well, that's all good, then, isn't it? Listen I'm going to be sending you a little present." Bakura opened his mouth to speak and object, "*Don't worry, it's not an artifact. It's only something I bought at the local mall. Can you believe they have them here? It's astonishing!"

"*I'm sure it is, Dad." His smiled slightly, "When do you think you'll be coming home next?"

"*I'll be home in time for New Years Eve, with plenty of gifts for you an your friends! Which was that one who was fascinated with egypt again? Yugi, was it?"

"*Oh, it's been ages since I've spoken with him. He's gone to America to fight in the duelist championships. Something about doing it on his own this time or something... But I'll see how he's doing."

"*Well, you do that. I'm afraid I have to go. Goodbye!"

"*Goodbye, Dad." He hung the phone up and turned around hanging his head, "Great, what's he going to think?" He sighed, "*Hello, Dad, that artifact you sent me turned out to have an evil spirit who possessed me and tried to take over the world. How was your trip? And by the way, I'm gay and have a boyfriend!" He dropped his head back, "The again... I might not..." The doorbell rang, "What now?" He walked over and opened it, revealing Marik and Duke.

"H-How?" Bakura raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Phone book, silly. We didn't know your name was Randy!" Duke smiled as he walked in, "Oh, god. He's got the pastry-artillery out." He perked an eyebrow.

Marik walked in, "This is serious." He turned around, "It's almost as bad as what Seto's doing."

Bakura frowned and turned his head, "Really? What's he been doing, then?"

Duke shrugged, "It's horrible. He's just been so mopey all day. He's been working non-stop since he got home last night. That's how we know it's bad. Even Mokuba can't get him to relax again." He walked over to Bakura, "And with the pastry situation over here, you can't have faired much better, right?"

'Well, I-..." Bakura looked down, "We both said some things that were cruel. But I-... I just left his standing out there after yelling at him. I feel so bad."

"No one's to blame for what happened. So it happened. Big deal. Now's the time you both decide where you are. Kaiba's never been able to talk to anyone about his parents other than Mokuba, and even then it's only for a little bit, and never about how they died." Marik sighed and dropped his arms.

"How _did_ they die?" Bakura raised an eyebrow.

"We're not even sure. He never talks about it." Duke shrugged, "He just needs you right now. I don't think he needs anyone else more."

Marik held up his keys, "What do you say?"

/\\//\\/

Kaiba hung his head over his keyboard, one hand running through his chestnut brown hair. His eyes slowly drifted shut and his head began to drop. He lifted it again with a sudden jerk, blinking to try and wake himself up, "Ugh..." he shook his head and looked back at the computer screen.

Duke leaned over the secretary's desk just outside Kaiba's office, "We have a little situation here, and need to send in this fine fellow," Duke pulled Bakura up to the front desk, "As soon as possible."

The secretary raised an eyebrow, "Name and corporation, please."

"No, no, no. Not a business situation, a... romance situation." Duke shook his head.

The secretary seemed unmoved, "I'm sorry, you'll need an appointment to see Mr. Kaiba."

Duke frowned, "Which comes first to you people? Work of true love?" he clasped his hands together. The secretary was still unmoved.

"I'm sorry, sir, but you'll just have to wait. Mr. Kaiba is a very busy man."

Bakura looked down, "It's alright, I can just wait, I'm sure."

"Ryou.." Marik looked concerned.

"No, really." Bakura smiled a bit, "It's no problem."

"Ryou?" Bakura turned. Mokuba stood there, his long mohawk pulled back into a high ponytail, riddled with vibrant streaks of color. Bakura smiled a bit.

/\\//\\/

"He's in here. I haven't been able to get him to stop working, so maybe you can try." Mokuba held his arm out to the door, inviting Bakura to open it.

Kaiba dropped his head back over his chair, letting out a deep sigh. the door slowly opened, "I'm not open for any appointments..." He turned. His eyes met Bakura's, widening in surprise, "R-Ryou."

Bakura gave a slight smiled as he closed the door behind him, "I hear you've been working pretty hard." He walked over to the desk, looking around as he approached. Kaiba's office was beautifully decorated; Faberge eggs and antique nic-nacs covered the shelves on the rich, forest green walls. The marble floor was a complimenting shade of gold, and his desk was simple and elegant, "I'm... sorry for the way I behaved last night. It was rude of me to ask you about something that you obviously don't want to discuss." Kaiba was silent with a serious look on his face. Bakura looked down and too the side, taking hold of his arm nervously.

Kaiba slowly got up from his seat and leaned over the desk, softly touching Bakura's cheek. He looked into Bakura's eyes. It was then when Bakura noticed that the very outside of his eyes had a hint of green, "It's not your fault." He pulled his love's hair from his eyes, "I shouldn't have yelled either."

Bakura's eyes shifted again, "I just don't want to see you upset."

Kaiba looked down with a slight smile, "It's not your fault. It's just something I have to deal with."

Bakura smiled a bit, "Okay. Best to let you deal with it, then." He put his hand against Kaiba's cheek, leaning in and kissing him. Kaiba leaned into the kiss and held the back of Bakura's head. Their lips pulled apart, "Seto, what's your real name?"

"What?"

"That's all I want to know. I want to know your real name."

Kaiba smiled a bit and said softly, "Josef. My real name is Josef Yurinov. Sef, for short."

Bakura grinned happily, "Randy Berkeley." He stood straight and held his hand out. Kaiba chuckled and took hold of it with his, "Nice to finally meet you."

/\\/December 24th, One Week Later/\\/

Kaiba kept his eyes closed just as Bakura asked. He shook his head and shrugged, "... What is it you want me to see?"

"Hold on. Just a little bit longer. There's a reason why we're at my place, you know."

"Can I open them now?"

"No! Just hold on, silly." Kaiba heard the dvd player take in a disc, then, after a short pause, a familiar theme, "... The Nutcracker?" he opened his eyes.

Bakura gave a wide smile, "I thought you'd like it." He sat down next to him, pulling his leg under him, taking his mug of hot cocoa, and leaning against Kaiba.

"Like it? I love it. I remember seeing it on stage when I was just a child. My mother... She played the princess." He wrapped his arm around Bakura's shoulder's and pulled him close.

"And guess what? Next we get to watch the Muppets Christmas Special." Bakura held up the dvd proudly.

"Oh, you know me so well." Kaiba smirked a bit and kissed Bakura. Bakura put the mug down on the coffee table and wrapped his arms around Kaiba. Kaiba lifted his head out of the kiss and held a finger up, "One second." He got off the couch and walked over to his coat. Bakura pulled his hair behind his ears and waited eagerly. Kaiba returned with a bottle of champagne, "Ta-dah." he smirked.

Bakura smirked back, "Too bad your brother isn't here, he's missing out on all the fun."

"Trust me, him and duke are probably out having the time of their lives. Do you have any champagne glasses?"

"In the cupboard above the knife set." Bakura pointed. Kaiba walked over and began to pull them down. Bakura got up off the couch and leaned over the counter opposite from Seto, "I thought you didn't like to drink."

Kaiba bit his lip as he removed the cork off the bottle with a loud pop, "I occasionally do. Besides, it's Christmas Eve, isn't it?"

Bakura smiled, "Why, yes. I suppose you're right."

Kaiba turned, both of the glasses filled. He handed one to Bakura, "To Christmas Eve." He held up the glass.

"To Christmas Eve." Bakura agreed, lifting his glass and tapping it against Kaiba's. The two sipped the champagne. As bakura lowered his glass, he felt something slip under his hand. He looked down. A small, ribbon bound box rested under his fingers, "What's...?" He smiled and looked at Kaiba, picking the box up.

"It's Christmas Eve." Kaiba smiled.

Bakura's eyes shifted between the box and Kaiba before he smiled and let out a short sigh. He put down the glass and opened the box. His eyes grew wide at what he saw. It was beautiful. The silver necklace was in the shape of a single wing, and the chain was crested with diamonds. He covered his mouth, "Oh, Sef..."

"I thought, 'Hey, men give jewelry to women they love, why can't I give jewelry to a man I love." He walked around the counter, putting his glass down next to Bakura's. He wrapped his arms around him and took the necklace out of it's case. He pulled it open revealing Cyrillic writing, "It says, 'My dearest, I truly love you.'" He closed it and pulled the chain around Bakura's neck, fastening it and letting it rest on Bakura's chest. Bakura turned and kissed Kaiba romantically. Kaiba wrapped his arms around Bakura's waist and kissed him back.

"I truly love you, too." Bakura smiled.

/\\//\\/

The champagne bottle laid empty on the floor by the bed, along with the glasses. One was standing with just a hint of champagne left in it, and the other had tipped over with nothing left. Their clothes covered the floor in a wobbly trail to the bed, ending in their underwear. Bakura rested on the bed, Kaiba's arm underneath his neck and entwined with his hand. Bakura slowly opened his eyes and looked at their hands resting in front of him. He smiled happily and sat up. He heard the door open and close. He froze and looked toward the door that was cracked open.

"*Randy, I'm home!"

* * *

*Bakura and his father speak English

*Bakura speaks to himself in English

*Bakura's Father speaks in English


	5. Chapter 5

The first sounds to fade into Kaiba's half-dreaming mind were bare feet walking on a hardwood floor, making a hallow thump with each step. They sounded rushed, and the faint sounds of shifting fabric began just before Bakura's voice called out, "*Just a second!" He heard the door close as he let his eyes drift open. He first spotted Bakura's bare back, which was quickly covered by the sweater he slipped over it. It was the same sweater he had worn the night before, but he looked like he was in too much of a hurry to care.

"*Randy?" a faint voice addressed.

"*I-I'll be right out!" Bakura said loudly in reply before looking over his shoulder, noticing Kaiba was awake, "Oh."

"Who is that?" Kaiba said softly, "… Is that your father?"

Bakura shuffled over to the side of the bed, "Yes." He said in a hissed whisper, "And if he knows what I did last night I swear he'd kill me! P-Please, um… Don't mention anything. And get dressed."

Kaiba blinked as he was given instructions, not sure what to make of the situation, but still, he gently nodded while sitting up, "Alright." He assured before getting out of bed and gathering up his wardrobe.

Bakura smiled widely and cupped Kaiba's cheeks, giving him a quick kiss, "Thank you so much! Just stay here while I go talk to him." He smiled and turned to head out. Kaiba slowly gained a smirk as he watched his lover leave the room.

Bakura closed the door behind him, immediately catching sight of his father in the kitchen, placing grocery bags on the counter, "Dad." He let out a sigh as he smiled, "I-.. I thought you wouldn't be home until—"

His father smiled fully, walking over and wrapping his arms around his son, "I came home early! I saw an opportunity and I took it." He released Bakura, "I heard someone else's voice. Who is that?"

"Oh! He's… My…" Bakura bit his lip as he searched for a way to tell him. He looked back at his bedroom door, then, without a word, walked over to it and opened it, "Come on." He gestured. Kaiba slowly walked out, having just finished tidying his hair up. He smiled upon glance of Bakura's father. He and his son looked very much alike in coloring. They had the same skin color, hair color, and eye color. The only real difference was that Bakura had almond shaped eyes, while his father didn't. He stepped forward, holding out his hand, "Seto Kaiba, sir." He introduced himself, "It's a pleasure."

His father hesitated for no noticeable lapse of time before taking a firm grasp of Kaiba's hand, shaking it happily, "Richard Berkeley. So, are you two friends?"

"Oh um…" Bakura stuttered, "He's my—ahem—boyfriend, Father."

Richard paused for a moment, as if he had a need to let that sink in before he could understand it, "… You know…" he started, "I always had a feeling your were like that, pup." He smiled, "Very happy to meet you, Seto." Kaiba bowed his head every so slightly to show his respect, "So, now that introductions are out of the way, I need one of you to run out and get some honey mustard from the store. I seem to have forgotten it while I was shopping."

Bakura gained a surprised look, "You… You got a ham, didn't you."

"Why yes I did. Oh… You're boyfriend isn't Jewish, is he? I can get something else."

Kaiba blinked then smiled nervously, "Oh, don't worry. I have Jewish blood, but I don't practice the religion." Richard let out a small breath of relief, "So, honey mustard, right? I'll go get some."

"And I'll go with you." Bakura interjected, "I need a bit of air anyways."

Richard smiled again, "Alright, then. Both of you go on." He shooed them towards the door, "Have fun!"

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Bakura couldn't help but feel a bit odd with knowing his father could walk into his bedroom at any moment and notice the empty bottle of champagne. He kept his arm rwapped around Kaiba's waist as they walked through the isles of the market. He lifted his hand, resting his index finger between his lips idly as he thought. Kaiba, who had been keeping his eyes ahead, glaced down at Bakura, "… Penny for your thoughts?" He asked.

"What?" Bakura looked up at him, his finger still resting on his bottom lip, "Oh! Oh, it's nothing, really. I was just thinking about my father."

"He's an interesting man." Kaiba smiled, "Cooking an entire ham for three people."

Bakura blinked, then looked at him, "Oh, no. That's why I was surprised. He only cooks ham for when he's invited over the family."

Kaiba looked back at him, "You have more family?"

"Oh yes." Bakura smiled a bit, looking ahead, "A grandmother, grandfather, uncle, three cousins… They're all on my Mother's side, you see. My father's family disowned him when he married a Jap."

Kaiba frowned, "I'm sorry. That must be…"

"It's fine, I never met them. The only one it's hard on is my father, and you'd never guess from how he acts." Bakura stopped at the shelf, "Here it is." He plucked the bottle out and looked it over, "It's my father's favorite brand."

Kaiba took it out of his hand and took a quick peek, "Coincidence, I love this brand, too." He tossed it in the basket, "So… Should I invite Mokuba?"

"Oh, yes, by all means. My father loves company, the more the merrier. Marik and Duke could come too."

"Excellent, I think I'm going to need them for social support." He joked.

Line here

Foot notes

*Richard speaks English

*Bakura speaks English


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter Six**_

Line here

Once they opened the door Ryo noticed nearly everyone had arrived. Other than his aunt, everyone was there, chatting about things of one sort of another. He felt his stomach tie itself in a knot as he stepped in, Seto and the others who had accompanied them following. He raised his hand, raising his voice slightly to cut over the chatter, "Hello, everyone. I'm home." He smiled, albeit nervously. Everyone in the room turned, staying silent for a moment as they examined who was at the door. Before he knew it, Ryo was swarmed with relatives. His grandmother smiling and hugging him, his grandfather ruffling his hair, his uncle tugging on his ear playfully, and his cousins hugging his legs. Seto and Mokuba both backed away from the swarm, making room for them to breathe. Marik and Duke both smiled and giggled over what was happening as they entered. Ryo was guided inside by the family, all of them talking over each other to ask him questions.

"How have you been?"

"Who is this 'Seto' I keep hearing about?"

"Do we get presents this year?"

"So, your father's making ham, I take it."

"Haha, you little rascal! How are ya?"

Ryo just pulled his head into his shoulders, smiling and flustered, "I can't answer any of your questions if I can't breathe!" he joked. As his family gave him room, Ryo moved over and took Seto's hand, guiding him over, "This is Seto. We've been together for about a month and a half, now."

Ryo's grandmother put her hands on her cheeks while smiling, "Oh, Ryo. Why couldn't you have told your poor grandmother? I bet you would have if you called me more often." She bowed her head a bit. "Hello, Seto. I'm Aiko." She said, using the respectful infliction on his name. "I must say, Ryo got himself a very attractive boy!" She laughed a bit as she took his hand into a gentle hold, shaking it slightly.

Seto smiled a bit and bowed his head back, "Oh, thank you." He nervously laughed.

Ryo's grandfather, a rather gaunt looking old man, and uncle, who had a deep tan, approached the couple, "I'm Genkei, this is my son, Hayate." He pointed to Ryo's uncle, who nodded his head. "Ryo's father tells us you're a business man."

"Yes. I own Kaiba Corporation." Seto affirmed.

Hayate blinked, a shocked look on his face, "Holy crap, you must be rich." He chuckled.

Seto didn't reply, but shrugged to it, a smile on his face. Ryo looked over his shoulder at Mokuba, "Oh! And this is Mokuba, Seto's little brother." He wrapped his arm around Mokuba's shoulder, then pointed to Duke and Marik, "And these two are Duke and Marik."

As introductions were made, and discussions where held, Seto seemed to walk off to stand in a corner, away from all the talking. He was nervous as it was, meeting all these strangers, but the conversations were a bit awkward for him. He never talked about things like romance and plans of marriage before. It all made him flustered and flushed. He leaned back against the end table, and felt a small corner of a metal frame jab at his thigh. He reached down, lifting the frame up to see the photo it held. It was a photo of a young girl with light blonde hair. Her face was strikingly similar to Ryo's. Even her faint smile seemed similar to the smile Ryo would give him. Her eyes were dark brown, and her clothes were shades of light pink and white. She looked beautiful; but why was the photo on it's face in the corner of the room? He kept his eyes on it, studying every detail of the woman. Who was she?

"What are you looking at?" Ryo's voice said clearly, snapping Seto out of his trance.

He looked at Ryo, still holding the photo in his hands, "Oh… I found it on the table. Who is this girl? I've never seen this picture before."

Ryo paused, then took the photo frame and looked at it. His face dropped as his voice said in an oddly deep tone, "That's because it was facing down." Seto stared for a moment. He wasn't expecting that kind of a reaction from Ryo. He tilted his head slightly, just about to ask why before Ryo spoke again. "Listen.. Um… Let's talk about this later, okay? It's Christmas." He looked at Seto, his face gaining back some warmth.

Seto thought for a moment, then nodded with a small, reassuring smile, "Alright."

Hayate clumsily slid over on the wood floor, wearing socks to help him glide. He wrapped his arm around Seto's shoulders, tugging him down with his weight, "Party! Let's Party!" he rang out, a glass of champagne in his hand. Seto closed his eyes and slimed hopelessly as Hayate spoke, then felt him slide off and fall to the floor.

Ryo blushed, covering his mouth. "U-Uncle!" He looked back at Seto. "I'm sorry, he's a bit of a party animal. When my aunt gets here, she'll set him straight." He smiled sweetly, sliding his hands up onto Seto's shoulders.

Seto smiled back. "It's no problem. He's… quite entertaining, rolling on the floor like that." He watched the man while he giggled on his back.

When Ryo's aunt, a tall, dark-haired, beautiful young woman, arrived, she certainly did set Hayate straight. She tugged him into a chair and spoke in a voice to authoritative that it would make the most hardened men cower. Seto couldn't help but smile at how eccentric and lively Ryo's family was. He was surprised by their easy acceptance of him. He almost felt jealous that Ryo had grown up with such a wonderful group. The party continued, and the snow outside fell gently onto the window sills, building into quaint mounds of fluffy ice. Egg nog was made and handed out, ham and vegetables were eaten, cake and pie was served, and presents built up in bulk under the tree. It seemed, since Will had told Ryo's relatives about his boyfriend, that last minute gifts were purchased for him, which made Seto feel even more awkward. The only gift he had for everyone was a fine mint of wine and aged cheese. However, it seemed perfectly sufficient, as he was given hugs and kissed on the cheek when he presented it.

Mokuba's eyes glimmered every time he was given a gift from Seto, and this one was possibly the best of them all. It was a resin statue of his favorite Duel Monsters Card, Rude Kaiser. Mokuba smiled widely, reaching over and hugging his brother tightly. Ryo gained a hint of a grin, seeing how happy the brothers really were with each other. As the night continued, however, Ryo's mind still thought about the woman in the picture, and Seto could tell that it was a painful memory. He looked so sad when he gazed at the frame, separating himself from the others. As the relatives left, and eventually Duke and Marik as well took their leave, the only ones left in the house were Will, Ryo, Seto, and Mokuba. Will had fallen asleep on the couch, and Mokuba was busy cleaning the wrappings of the presents up. Seto was finishing cleaning he dishes when he saw Ryo walk by, right out to the balcony.

Seto looked back at the balcony, seeing Ryo close the sliding glass door. He waited for a moment, then followed Ryo outside. The snow was falling, but Ryo was still dressed in nothing but a turtleneck, a pair of jeans, and a pair of house slippers. Seto quietly walked up beside him, resting his elbows on the railing while crossing his arms.

He didn't know what he had done, but he had upset Ryo. He wasn't one to drop things, and the picture of the young lady was still vividly in his mind. "… What was her name?" He requested, keeping his eyes on the street below.

There was a long pause, but then. "… Amane."

He had never heard that name before. He turned his head to look at Ryo's face, "… Who is she?"

Ryo bit his lip and let out a sigh, looking upward, "… She was my twin sister." 'Was'… Seto knew what that meant, and could feel the sadness flowing off of Ryo, "Two years ago she…" He took a breath to steady himself. "She took the car. She said she was just going over to her friend's house… That she would be back by dinner. I was home alone when I got the call from the hospital." Ryo turned and looked at Seto, a single tear falling down his cheek. "They said she was in a coma. They said… They said that she hit her head so hard…" He shut his eyes and covered his mouth as he let out a sob. Seto could only watch as Ryo broke down. "I had to sit there, and watch my little sister—my baby twin sister—die…"

As he saw Ryo sink, Seto walked over, placing his hand on his shoulder, "Ryo… I'm sorry… I didn't know…"

"Of course you didn't. I never told you about her." Ryo wiped his cheek and looked to the side, his face becoming indifferent.

Seto waited, considering what he was about to ask. "… Why didn't you?"

Ryo snapped his gaze back at Seto, whipping his hand off of his shoulder, "Why?! Because every time I look in the mirror, I see her! Every time I think about her I cry! Why… Why would I want to share something like that? Why would I tell you?" Ryo sobbed, then lowering his face into his hands. "You won't even tell me anything about your past. I don't want to share my pain with a locked box. I… I want us to know each other's faults, but…" He grimaced, looking back up at Seto. "I don't know! I don't know why I didn't tell you! Maybe.. Maybe I thought it would just… go away…"

Seto's stomach tied itself into a knot. He suddenly felt like a hypocrite. Here he was, digging into Ryo's painful past, when he hadn't said a word about his own. He had a common ground with Ryo in thinking that hiding his problems would make them fade away. He knew, though, that hiding them only made them worse. Hiding them made them more painful. Seto looked down, nodding, "… I understand." Ryo took a shaky breath in as Seto continued. "I can understand why you wouldn't tell me. I've hidden things from you. I've hidden things from everyone, but… But it doesn't fix me. It only makes me have to dull my emotions to try and make the pain stop." Seto reached out, lifting Ryo's head. "I'm happy that you told me, because…" He hesitated, but then said, "Because I don't want you to end up like me."

Ryo's shoulder's sunk a bit. "Seto… Please don't talk like that. It hurts me when you talk about yourself like some defect."

Ryo then noticed something. Seto's eyes were tearing up as he looked to the side. Seto looked back, saying in a shaky voice, "But I am."

"No." Ryo said sternly, taking a hold of Seto's hands. "You're kind. You're calm. You're graceful, and generous, and loving. You're a beautiful man, and a beautiful person, and don't you dare tell me otherwise, because it's bull. If you weren't as amazing as you were, we wouldn't be here." He smiled, tears falling down his face as he touched Seto's cheek. "You know that, right? You believe I love you? If you don't… then what are we doing?"

Seto took a breath in, tightening his face a bit, "I know you love me. I know you do, and I wouldn't take that for granted, ever… But why? I might be all the things you say I am, but I'm still broken."

"Then let me help you. Let me in." Ryo said, pulling Seto into a hug, "I love you enough to help you. I won't lose you." Seto was silent, tightly hugging Ryo and calming himself down. The hug seemed to last forever, with each of them giving to other strength. Ryo leaned back as they parted, "Now come on. Let's go inside. I'm freezing."


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter 7_

_By StormesJay_

_(Note: When you see the symbol '****' all the dialogue is Russian and the time is in the past. Italics are Seto telling the story.)_

* * *

There was a loud, clear cacophony of snaps, crackles, and horns as the clock struck midnight. It was the new year—the first of January—and how better to spend a day than with the few people Seto found himself close to. Will, Ryo, Mokuba, Duke, and Malik all seemed to be having a great time. Streamers flew into the air, champagne glasses struck, and smiles glistened throughout the room, but Seto sat in the back of the room on the couch, rather quietly. He had a glass of champagne in his hand, and the other in his pocket. His eyes simply stared at his bent knees as his mind thought. Ever since Christmas Seto had felt horrible about dragging those feelings out of Ryo. He never wanted to see Ryo that sad again. Then again, he had yet to tell Ryo anything about his family, or about his dark past. Even Mokuba knew little about it. He was so young when they lost their parents that all he had were fuzzy memories, and Seto would like to keep it that way. He couldn't anymore, though. He was going to explode if he held it in much longer, but he was still afraid of the pain that he would feel after telling it—the pain Mokuba would feel…

"Are you alright?" Ryo's soft voice said as he flopped down onto the couch, sitting next to Seto and placing his hand on his thigh. "You've been sitting there like that for so long that someone could mistake you for a statue."

Seto blinked, looking at Ryo quietly, then looked away again. "It… It's nothing. I'm just thinking."

"On New Years? Of all the holidays you choose the one where you should be drunk to start thinking." Ryo joked, smiling and leaning over to be closer.

He let out a sigh and smiled a bit. "I know. I'm lousy that way, aren't I? Some party animal." He stayed quiet after that, his face slowly drifting back to its previous expression.

Ryo gained one to match, tilting his head and taking a gentle hold of Seto's hand. "Is this about… Family?"

Seto looked down, his lips curling ever so slightly. "Smart guess."

"I'm sometimes too smart for my own good. Do you need to talk about anything?"

"No, no… Not right now. It's New Years." Seto patted Ryo's thigh. "Go over there and have fun. I'll be okay."

Ryo made a sad face, then nodded. "Alright. Just know I'll be here all night tonight." He leaned over and kissed Seto's cheek.

The time passed, and one by one, the others left the main rooms of Seto's apartment, either to go to bed or to go home. Eventually, it was only Ryo and Seto. Seto hadn't touched his champagne. He couldn't bare to touch it after thinking about that day. Ryo found himself cleaning up the mess, even though the champagne he had drunken had made him a bit tipsy. He didn't mind cleaning. He actually enjoyed seeing every room of a house spotless before he went to bed. Seto could have cared less whether things were clean. "I have a maid." He pointed out.

Ryo looked over his shoulder while sweeping some confetti up. "… I know." He turned around again. "I enjoy cleaning."

"Ryo…" Seto said in an odd tone. Ryo didn't recognize what was odd about it, but he knew something was off. He looked over, seeing Seto's face. "… I need you to know that… That I've never really relied on anyone… ever. I've… I mean I've trusted people. I still trust people, but I've never needed anyone to hold a burden for me. I wanted you to know that before I do this."

Ryo paused, leaning the broom against the wall and walking over. He sat down next to Seto, holding his hand instinctively. "Before you do what?"

"Before…" Seto hesitated. "Before I tell you what happened. I can't hold it in anymore. But I've never wanted anyone to have to hear it… To have to even imagine it."

Ryo looked somewhat shocked, but still managed to give off an air of calmness. "It's alright, Seto. Please, I want to help you…"

"There's one more thing, though…"

"What?" Ryo leaned in.

Seto let out a shaky breath, "Mokuba doesn't know."

Ryo got a chill up his back, not sure what to make of that. "Doesn't know what?"

"He doesn't know how our mother died." Seto looked Ryo square in the eye, looking bereft.

Ryo's jaw fell agate a bit. "You mean… She didn't die from giving birth?"

Seto's lip quivered as he tried to form words. The very remembrance was painful, right down to the bone. "It… It was much worse…" Ryo didn't know what to say, and before he could think of anything, Seto continued. "Our mother was wonderful. She was beautiful in everyway. She loved us and cared for us better than anyone else could have. Both me and my brother… We weren't born into the best conditions. We all lived in a run-down Moscow apartment. Even though we didn't have much money, my father liked to spend the few bits we had of the best booze he could get. As they say… 'There's no such thing as a sober Russian'. My mother… she wasn't Russian. She was Jewish-German. He liked to point that out to her a lot. He liked to rub it in that she could never go home because of who she was; that the damned Holocaust ruined her life. It made she that she would stay with him. As bad as things were… She still managed to make me feel as loved as any other boy. But… But things got worse when my mother got pregnant again."

* * *

****

Her long, wavy black hair fell over her shoulders as he bent down to pick up her son in a frantic sweep. She rushed into the bedroom, putting him on the bed. She raced over to her dresser, yanking out all of her clothes and throwing them near the suitcase that lay open by the boy. She ran back over, shoving it all into the case before shutting it. He looked over to her son, her eyes wide. He was blissfully ignorant, just giving her a blank gaze back. She reached over, wrapping her hand around the back of his head and leaning him forward to kiss his brown hair. "It's going to be okay, sweetie. It's going to be fine. We're going to go stay with the man who runs Mommy's club. You remember Mommy's club?" She smiled nervously, picking him up and propping him on her hip while she grabbed her suit case. "You saw me sing there once. Remember how pretty Mommy looked?"

She raced towards the door, where the boys suit case sat, full of his belongings. She grabbed the second case, sliding it under her arm before opening the door and darting out. She didn't bother to close it behind her. The only thing she cared about was getting out of that horrible place. She grabbed the door handle of the back seat of the car. She opened the door, threw the suit cases in, then put the boy in the baby seat in the back. She quickly buckled him in, then got into the driver's seat, starting the car up and skidding out of the parking lot.

"_Things were better. That's all I remember. I was only five at the time… A few weeks passed, and my mother was happy. I even think she started to consider staying away… and I wish she had."_

The woman closed the door to the apartment her and her son were staying in, a shopping bag in her hand. She tossed her purse onto the couch, walking directly into the bathroom. She closed the door, taking her bought goods out of the shopping bag. She looked at the directions, pulling the pregnancy test out of the box. It seemed like hours waiting for that strip to show a definitive color, but once the egg timer went off she darted over to see the results. Her face drained of color as she held it up to read. Positive.


End file.
